A fitting end for a delightful caper of a trilogy! Our final couple is Lord Hawthorn and Alan Ross, of course, and their chemistry really carries the book. The team effort to thwart the evil magical plot gets a little overly convoluted at times, and in the end gets rescued by a deus ex machina (deus ex arbore?) plot device, but honestly: we're not reading this book for the plot. The whole gang is finally together so there's a lovely found family vibe to enjoy, and the sex scenes are many and spicy. There are books with dominance and submission elements that get what's hot about dominance and submission, and there are books that seem to have decided to paste a sex dungeon into an otherwise bland one-family home in the suburbs because they've heard it's trendy: this is decidedly the former, not the latter. And the book is very thoughtful about how class affects Jack and Alan's relationship as well as their respective abilities to safely play out their fantasies! If consensual non-consent roleplay is a no go for you, then give A Power Unbound a skip, but if you're worried about whether it's handled well, I thought it was excellent.

I received an ARC thanks to the publisher and NetGalley.

Wow, just wow.
This book - I knew it would - hits all my favorite tropes, forced proximity, Grumpy/Sunshine (though in this case it's almost more of a grumpy/grumpy 😆) be gay, do crime, and found family.

I was nervous going in because I've been reading quite a few cozy fantasy books before this and was afraid the stakes might be too high for my palette. They are indeed very high, but Freya does such an amazing job at making the drama matter. There isn't drama just for the sake of drama, she never relies on it for a plot point, and instead uses each event throughout the trilogy as character development. There are very action filled, exciting moments that I found myself rereading just to make sure I got everything that happened. There were also quiet, deep moments where doors opened up wide to reveal the soul of a character.

For those worried about the MCs of the previous books, they are ingrained in the story. You get so much time with all of them, their shenanigans bring charm to the story, humor, sadness, and love. And it truly is like you are living in a house among them, sharing in their lives, their stories, and their desire to protect not just the ones they love, but the world.

My only "critique" is that I struggled with wanting to read it quickly to know what happens, then slowing way down because I didn't want it to end. I want to live along side all of them forever. Why is it only a trilogy? 😂😂😂 That being said, it wraps up wonderully. It pays such great tribute to A Marvellous Light and A Restless Truth, while still being its own book. It is the third in a trilogy, and you really must read the others to understand and fully enjoy A Power Unbound, but it also takes care to tell the story of Jack and Alan to the fullest. You won't leave this book wanting more because you feel unfulfilled, but rather that you just love the characters so much.

Freya's writing style has so much prose without being overly done. There is amazing humor in the banter between all the characters, not just Jack and Alan. There is also real grief, fear - with loss of a loved one, loss of One's self, fear for family, conflict between the classes, and betrayal in many forms. I felt everything along side the characters, in a very raw way I haven't before in books. I cannot wait for the rest of the world to read the conclusion. It's perfect. 5/5 stars, my new favorite book series.

I represent this book so I'm not going to be able to leave an unbiased review, sorry! But I will just say that as the third book in the trilogy I think it sticks the landing.